The eleventh-annual Taste of Italy , an evening of authentic Italian food, wine, and entertainment to benefit the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles (IAMLA), will take place on October 12 in downtown Los Angeles. For one evening, the heart of historic downtown Los Angeles is transformed into a charming piazza, where 2,500 Italophiles join celebrities, dignitaries, and philanthropists to eat, drink, and mingle at this upscale, ticketed event.

Taste of Italy showcases the region’s top restaurants, world-class wineries, live entertainment, and celebrated chefs. Among the over 40 participants are Drago Centro , Ca' Momi Winery, Osteria Cal Mare, Factory Kitchen , L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele, Fernet-Branca , Little Jewel of New Orleans , Puglia Italian Restaurant , Specialty Cellars, L’Opera, and Colombo’s Italian Steakhouse & Jazz Club. Taste of Italy offers a culinary voyage through Italy in the heart of downtown Los Angeles.

Time-honored recipes, modern interpretations of classic dishes, and Italian American culinary traditions are guaranteed to delight. The Drago family, synonymous with culinary excellence, will be participating with Drago Centro, helmed by James Beard Award-winning Chef Celestino Drago , and Celestino. Located in Milan, Italy, Don Lisander Ristorante , which opened in 1946, will travel to Los Angeles to participate in the event and will prepare the iconic risotto giallo (rice with saffron) according to the tradition dating back to the Middle Ages. Factory Kitchen and Brera are among the trendiest food destinations in Los Angeles and Chef Angelo Auriana will feature a few of the dishes that have won considerable acclaim for the restaurants.

Chef Luca Manderino of Sosta will present a seafood-centric Venetian menu and a variety of “cicchetti,” the traditional small bites typical of the Venetian osterie . Pasta Sisters is a Los Angeles destination for fresh and authentic dishes such as gnocchi all’arrabbiata. The handwritten recipe is just one of hundreds that Paola Da Re, Pasta Sisters’ executive chef and Padua native, received from her grandmother.

The offerings of N. 10, a restaurant owned by World Cup-winning soccer player Alessandro del Piero , comes from the inspiration of Luigi Fineo , a Puglia native and the youngest chef to be awarded a Michelin star in the US.

Steeped in tradition, Prosciutto di Carpegna originated in Italy's Marche region. Today the production is done by ten craftsmen in one single plant, owned and operated by Fratelli Beretta. The prosciutto is aged a minimum of 20 months before it is released to the US market! This coveted Italian specialty has an intense aroma and soft texture, while the Adriatic sea salt infuses the pork with a slightly sweet flavor.

Osteria Cal Mare is a newcomer to the event in 2019. The restaurant is an homage to classic Italian cuisine with a flair for the more dramatic brought to life by chefs Adam Sobel and Michael Mina , and will mix the vibrant seaside elegance of Coastal Italy into every bite with specialties such as arancini (rice croquettes) served with a green marinara sauce.

Pizza is a staple of the Italian culinary experience and L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele, which opened in Naples in 1870, is considered one of the best pizzerie in the world. Other participating pizzerie include DeSano Pizza Bakery and West Hollywood's Provami, which utilizes a hundred-year-old family recipe from Puglia.

Dozens of world-class wines and spirits will be served by participants such as Gruppo i Vinai , Ca’ Momi Winery , Specialty Cellars , PRP Wine International and Lyra Fine Wine Importers . P almina Wines specializes in Italian varietals grown in Santa Barbara County, CA. Esteemed producers such as the century-old Los Angeles institution San Antonio Winery, as well as importer-distributors Terlato Wines, and Ethica Wines, which specializes in boutique Italian producers, will also be participating.

Guests will be invited to enjoy their favorite Italian cocktails crafted by Fernet-Branca, featuring the iconic amaro from Milano, made with a secret family recipe handed down from generation to generation since 1845.

Taste of Italy’s entertainment line-up includes performances by jazz virtuosos led by Joe LoPiccolo and American songbook standards by Nick D’Egidio and the Dry Martini Orchestra . Bella Notte Opera Tr i o, whose members include soprano Lisa Eden , pianist Catherine Miller , and tenor James Callon, have performed with major opera companies across the country, and now on the stage of Taste of Italy. Acclaimed artist, songwriter, and producer DJLo will mix new and classics beats.

“Taste of Italy offers an authentic Italian experience in the heart of downtown Los Angeles,” explains Marianna Gatto, historian and executive director of the IAMLA. “Guests can enjoy exceptional Italian cuisine, wine, and good cheer in a charming, historic setting. Taste of Italy offers a glimpse of the region’s extensive Italian history and contemporary Italian lifestyle while supporting the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles.”

For tickets , visit www.IAMLA.org or call (213) 485-8432. Contributions are tax-deductible as permitted . On the evening of the event, the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles , located at 644 North Main Street, will remain open until 7 pm . Admission to the museum is free (donations are encouraged).

For Calendar Listing
What: The Italian American Museum of Los Angeles’ Taste of Italy
When: October 12, 2019 from 5-10 pm
Where: 424 North Main Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Why: Proceeds support the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization.
Cost : $65 General Admission (6 food + 6 wine food tastings) $70 at the door, $135 Premiere (10 food + 10 wine tastings, VIP bag, and red-carpet entrance) $145 at the door. A limited number of reserved tables and sponsorship opportunities are available.

Tickets/Info: www.IAMLA.org or 213.485.8432

Visit the IAMLA Extended hours on October 12 - The IAMLA will be open from 10 am to 7 pm.

About the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles (IAMLA)

The Italian American Museum of Los Angeles (IAMLA) is a twenty-first century interactive museum that documents the history and ongoing contributions of Italian Americans in Southern California and the nation. The IAMLA features exhibitions and a variety of cultural educational programming, and it is collaboratively operated with the City of Los Angeles. The museum is located in the Italian Hall, which was constructed in 1908 to serve as a community gathering place. Today, the Italian Hall is among the oldest remaining structures from Los Angeles' historic Little Italy and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The IAMLA is a 501(c)3 charitable organization.